Crystalline magnetic layer to amorphous substrate bonding

ABSTRACT

Various methods for attaching a crystalline write pole onto an amorphous substrate and the resulting structures are described in detail herein. Further, the resulting structure may have a magnetic moment exceeding 2.4 Tesla. Still further, methods for depositing an epitaxial crystalline write pole on a crystalline seed or template material to ensure that the phase of the write pole is consistent with the high moment phase of the template material are also described in detail herein.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser.No. 13/718,863 filed Dec. 18, 2012, now issued as U.S. Pat. 9,xxx,xxx,the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference forall purposes.

BACKGROUND

Advances in magnetic recording head technology are driven in large partby increasing the areal density of a recording media within a storagedrive. As the areal density of the recording media increase, thedimensions of one or more write poles corresponding to the recordingmedia decreases. Further, if all other factors are equal, the magneticfield generated by a write pole of diminishing size also diminishes.This increases the signal to noise ratio of the magnetic field generatedby the write pole, which may be undesirable.

A major factor that controls the magnetic field generated by the writepole is the saturation flux density, or magnetic moment, of the writepole material. Providing a write pole material that has a highermagnetic moment allows the write pole to diminish in size and maintain adesired magnetic field magnitude. As a result, the write pole materialis typically made of the highest magnetic moment material feasible givencost, performance, availability, and other constraints.

SUMMARY

Implementations described and claimed herein address the foregoingproblems by providing an article of manufacture comprising an amorphoussubstrate and one or more epitaxial crystalline layers attached to theamorphous substrate, wherein a magnetic moment of the article ofmanufacture is greater than 2.4 Tesla.

Other implementations are also described and recited herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example disc drive assembly including a sliderhaving a write pole manufactured according to the presently disclosedtechnology on a distal end of an actuator arm positioned over a storagemedia disc.

FIG. 2A illustrates a side view of a crystalline template wafer bondedto an amorphous recording head wafer.

FIG. 2B illustrates a side view of the recording head wafer of FIG. 2Awith the relatively thick crystalline template layer removed.

FIG. 2C illustrates a side view of the recording head wafer of FIG. 2Bwith an epitaxial magnetic write pole deposited thereon.

FIG. 3 illustrates operations for manufacturing a crystalline thin filmstructure bonded to an amorphous substrate according to a wafer-to-waferbonding technique, as depicted in FIGS. 2A-2C.

FIG. 4A illustrates a side view of a template wafer with a crystallinemagnetic epitaxial layer deposited on a template crystalline substrate.

FIG. 4B illustrates a side view of the template wafer of FIG. 4A withthe crystalline magnetic epitaxial layer patterned into islands withetching underneath.

FIG. 4C illustrates a side view of a flexible stamp attached to andpulling the individual islands of the crystalline magnetic epitaxiallayer away from the template substrate of FIG. 4B.

FIG. 4D illustrates a side view of the flexible stamp placing theindividual islands of the crystalline magnetic epitaxial layer of FIG.4C onto a recording head wafer.

FIG. 4E illustrates a side view of the individual islands of thecrystalline magnetic epitaxial layer bonded to an amorphous recordinghead wafer of FIG. 4D with the flexible stamp removed.

FIG. 5 illustrates operations for manufacturing a crystalline thin filmstructure bonded to an amorphous substrate according to a hybridpick-and-place bonding technique, as depicted in FIGS. 4A-4E.

FIG. 6A illustrates a side view of a crystalline template layer bondedto an amorphous recording head wafer, the crystalline template layerhaving trenches patterned therein.

FIG. 6B illustrates a side view of the amorphous recording head wafer ofFIG. 6A with the trenches in the crystalline template layer filled witha deposited crystalline template material.

FIG. 6C illustrates a side view of the amorphous recording head wafer ofFIG. 6B with a deposited template layer covering the crystallinetemplate layer.

FIG. 6D illustrates a side view of the recording head wafer of FIG. 6Cwith an epitaxial magnetic write pole deposited thereon.

FIG. 7 illustrates operations for manufacturing a crystalline thin filmstructure bonded to an amorphous substrate according to an aspect ratiotrapping lithography technique, as depicted in FIGS. 6A-6D.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS

Write poles are typically made of a polycrystalline or amorphouscobalt-iron alloys with a magnetic moment of up to 2.4 Tesla depositedon an aluminum oxide or aluminum titanium carbide amorphous substrate.An amorphous material is referred to herein as a solid that lacks thelong-range order characteristic of a crystal. A polycrystalline materialis referred to herein as a solid that is composed of many crystallitesof varying size and orientation. The variation in orientation can berandom or directed.

Some materials (e.g., iron nitride) attached to an amorphous substratein crystalline form have may have a magnetic moment higher than 2.4Tesla. A crystalline material is referred to herein as a solid materialwhose constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are arranged in an orderly,repeating pattern extending in all three spatial dimensions. Crystallinematerials as referred to herein also include nearly crystallinematerials that ideally are fully crystalline, but may have one or moredefects where crystal's pattern is interrupted due to various defects(e.g., vacancy defects, interstitial defects, dislocations, impurities,dopants, twinning)

Further, rare earth-transition metal crystalline multilayers depositedin epitaxial layers (e.g., iron cobalt, chromium, and gadoliniummulti-layers) may also have a magnetic moment higher than 2.4 Tesla.Utilizing prior techniques of depositing a polycrystalline or amorphouswrite pole to an amorphous substrate may not function adequately toattach a crystalline write pole to an amorphous substrate. An epitaxiallayer is referred to herein as a crystalline overlayer on a crystallinesubstrate, where the overlayer is grown with a well-defined orientationwith respect to the substrate crystalline structure. The epitaxial layermay be homo-epitaxial, hetero-epitaxial, or hetero-topotaxial.

Various methods for attaching a crystalline write pole onto an amorphoussubstrate and the resulting structures are described in detail below.Further, methods for depositing an epitaxial crystalline write pole on acrystalline seed or template material to ensure that the phase of thewrite pole is consistent with the high moment phase of the templatematerial are also described in detail below. While the following methodsand structures are specifically discussed in the context of attaching acrystalline write pole to an amorphous substrate, the following methodsmay be used to bond other crystalline components (e.g., a reader) to anamorphous substrate and create similar structures as those depictedherein.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example disc drive assembly 100 including a slider120 having a write pole 118 manufactured according to the presentlydisclosed technology on a distal end of an actuator arm 110 positionedover a storage media disc 108. In one implementation, referringspecifically to View A of the x-y plane, the disc 108 includes an outerdiameter 102 and an inner diameter 104 between which are a number ofsubstantially circular data tracks. The disc 108 rotates at a high speedabout disc axis of rotation 112 as information is written to and/or readfrom the data tracks on the disc 108. The information is stored inmagnetic domains on the disc 108, which may be continuous (e.g.,traditional magnetic storage media) or discrete (e.g., bit-patternedmagnetic storage media), for example. In other implementations, thepresently disclosed technology applies to semiconductor wafer structuresindependent from the disclosed disc drive assembly 100 and storage mediadisc 108.

The actuator arm 110 rotates about an actuator axis of rotation 114during a seek operation to located a desired data track on the disc 108.The actuator arm 110 extends toward the disc 108, and at the distal endof the actuator arm 110 is the slider 120, which flies in closeproximity above the disc 108 while reading and writing data to the disc108. In other implementations, there is more than one slider 120,actuator arm 110, and/or disc 108 in the disc drive assembly 100.

A side view of the slider 120 is shown in detail in View B of the x-zplane of FIG. 1 and includes a reader 116 and a write pole 118 mountedon or within a substrate 124 (e.g., a recording head wafer) located at atrailing edge 126 of the slider 120. Other microelectronic componentsmay also be mounted on the substrate 124 or on other areas of the slider120. The appearances of the slider 120 and other features of assembly100 are for illustration purposes only and not drawn to scale.

A zoomed-in view of the write pole 118 attached to the substrate 124 isshown in Zoom A in View B. The write pole 118 is crystalline andattached to the amorphous substrate 124. Attaching is referred to hereinas encompassing various bonding techniques (e.g., gluing ordirect-bonding), thin-film deposition, and any other way of attachingone structure to another structure. Since the crystalline write pole 118typically would not deposit well directly to the amorphous substrate 124(e.g., defects caused by the amorphous substrate 124 may propagatethrough the crystalline write pole 118, if directly deposited on theamorphous substrate 124), a crystalline template layer 128 (e.g.,gallium arsenide) may be placed there between to provide a template fromdeposition of the write pole 118.

FIG. 2A illustrates a side view of a crystalline template wafer 230bonded to an amorphous recording head wafer 224. The template wafer 230includes two crystalline template layers 228, 234 with a release layer232 there between. In one implementation, each of the crystallinetemplate layers 228, 234 is composed of gallium arsenide. The relativelythick crystalline template layer 234 (e.g., 100-1000 μm, which scaleswith the wafer diameter) facilitates transportation of the relativelythin (e.g., 50-300 nm, which also scales with the wafer diameter)crystalline template layer 228 without damaging the crystalline templatelayer 228. Since the crystalline template layer 228 is to be merely usedas a template for depositing an epitaxial crystalline magnetic layer(see epitaxial crystalline magnetic layer 218 of FIG. 2C), thecrystalline template layer 228 is made as thin as possible.

The release layer 232 between the crystalline template layers 228, 234facilitates separation of the relatively thick crystalline templatelayer 234 from the relatively thin crystalline template layer 228without damaging the crystalline template layer 228. In oneimplementation, the release layer 232 is about 100 nm thick ofAl_(x)Ga_(1−x)As with x being greater than 0.6. Further, the releaselayer 232 may be selectively etched without substantially etching theother layers using an aqueous hydrofluoric acid solution (e.g., at about10% concentration).

The template wafer 230 is bonded to the amorphous recording head wafer224 with the relatively thin crystalline template layer 228 in contactwith the recording head wafer 224. The bonding may be assisted using anadhesive (e.g., epoxy resins like SU-8 or benzocyclobutene, not shown),heat and/or pressure. The template wafer 230 is then processed todissolve or otherwise release the release layer 232 from the crystallinetemplate layer 228 (e.g., via a wet chemical etching process).

FIG. 2B illustrates a side view of the recording head wafer 224 of FIG.2A with the relatively thick crystalline template layer 234 removed.After the release layer 232 of FIG. 2A is dissolved or otherwisereleased, the crystalline template layer 234 may be removed from therecording head wafer 224 (as illustrated by arrow 236) while leaving therelatively thin crystalline template layer 228 bonded to the recordinghead wafer 224, intact and undamaged.

FIG. 2C illustrates a side view of the recording head wafer 224 of FIG.2B with an epitaxial crystalline magnetic layer 218 (e.g., a write pole)deposited thereon. The crystalline template layer 228 may be used todeposit the epitaxial crystalline magnetic layer 218. The epitaxialcrystalline magnetic layer 218 may be comprised of a 200 nm thick layerof iron nitride. In other implementations, the iron nitride layer mayrange from 100 nm to 500 nm thick. The technique illustrated by FIGS.2A-2C may be referred to herein as a wafer-to-wafer bonding technique.

FIG. 3 illustrates a method 300 for manufacturing a crystalline thinfilm structure bonded to an amorphous substrate according to awafer-to-wafer bonding technique, as depicted in FIGS. 2A-2C. Aproviding operation 305 provides a template wafer including twocrystalline template layers separated by a release layer. The thicker ofthe crystalline template layers provides a structure for transportingthe thinner of the two crystalline template layers. The release layerprovides a way of selectively releasing the thicker crystalline templatelayer from the thinner crystalline template layer.

A bonding operation 310 bonds the template wafer to the recording headwafer. More specifically, the thinner of the two crystalline templatelayers of the template wafer is bonded to the recording head wafer. Thebonding operation 310 may be accomplished by using an adhesive, and/orapplying heat and/or pressure, for example. A dissolving operation 315dissolves or otherwise releases the release layer from the recordinghead wafer. The dissolving operation 315 may be accomplished byselectively etching the release layer without substantially etching theother layers using an aqueous hydrofluoric acid solution (e.g., at about10% concentration), for example.

A removing operation 320 removes the thicker crystalline template layerfrom the recording head wafer leaving the thinner crystalline templatelayer attached to the recording head wafer. With the bonding layerreleased, the removing operation 320 may be accomplished withoutdamaging the thinner crystalline template layer. A deposition operation325 deposits an epitaxial magnetic crystalline layer on the thincrystalline template layer of the recording head wafer (e.g., a writepole). Since the crystalline template layer and the epitaxial magneticcrystalline layer are both crystalline, the deposition operation 320works effectively with the thin crystalline template layer and theepitaxial crystalline layer aligned. Removing operation 320 may also bereferred to as separating a first thinner part of the crystallinetemplate layer from a second thicker part of the crystalline templatelayer.

In an example implementation, when a recording head is formed, thereader is applied before the write pole at a temperature ofapproximately 220 degrees Celsius. As a result, when the write pole isapplied to the recording head, the processing temperature may not exceed220 degrees Celsius to avoid damaging the reader. As a result, if thedeposition process of the crystalline write pole is to exceed 220 degreeCelsius (e.g., 500-700 degrees Celsius), a processing techniques thatdoes not directly deposit the crystalline write pole to the recordinghead wafer may be used, as depicted and described with regard to inFIGS. 4A-5. This allows for more flexibility is choosing an appropriatecrystalline write pole material (e.g., FeN, rare-earth transitionmetallic alloys, and multilayers of rare-earths and transition metals).

FIG. 4A illustrates a side view of a template wafer 430 with acrystalline magnetic epitaxial layer 428 deposited on a templatecrystalline substrate 434 (e.g., GaAs, Si, GaN, and MgO). In an exampleimplementation, the crystalline magnetic epitaxial layer 428 isdeposited on the template crystalline substrate 434 at a temperaturethat exceeds that which the reader will tolerate (e.g., 220 degreesCelsius). The relatively thick template crystalline substrate 434 (e.g.,100-1000 μm) provides a surface on which the crystalline magneticepitaxial layer 428 may be deposited and facilitates transportation ofthe relatively thin (e.g., 50-300 nm) crystalline magnetic epitaxiallayer 428 without damaging the crystalline magnetic epitaxial layer 428.Further, the crystalline magnetic epitaxial layer 428 may be depositedon the template crystalline substrate 434 at a relatively hightemperature (e.g., up to 700 Celsius) that may damage other magneticcomponents of a recording head wafer (see recording head wafer 424 ofFIG. 4D) if applied directly to the recording head wafer.

FIG. 4B illustrates a side view of the template wafer 430 of FIG. 4Awith the crystalline magnetic epitaxial layer 428 patterned into islandswith etched voids underneath. In one implementation, etching streets(e.g., etching street 448) are patterned (e.g., using photolithography)in a continuous or non-continuous grid pattern in the crystallinemagnetic epitaxial layer 428, which forms the islands. Further, amajority of the template crystalline substrate 434 is etched awayimmediately underneath each of the islands using the etching streets asaccess to the underside of the islands. The etching creates the etchedvoids (e.g., void 438) underneath the islands. Some of the templatesubstrate 434 immediately underneath each of the islands may remain tokeep the islands in place. This remaining material may be referred to asan anchor tab(s) (e.g., anchor tab 450). In other implementations, arelease layer oriented between the crystalline magnetic epitaxial layer428 and the template crystalline substrate 434 is used in addition to orin lieu of the patterning and/or etching illustrated in FIG. 4B.

FIG. 4C illustrates a side view of a flexible stamp 440 attached to andpulling the individual islands of the crystalline magnetic epitaxiallayer 428 away from the template substrate 434 of FIG. 4B. The flexiblestamp 440 is loosely bonded (e.g., via a light adhesive or a releaselayer (not shown)) that allows it to be removably attached to theindividual islands of the crystalline magnetic epitaxial layer 428. Thestamp 440 lifts the individual islands of the crystalline magneticepitaxial layer 428 from the template substrate 434, as illustrated byarrow 442.

The etched voids facilitate the removal of the individual islands of thecrystalline magnetic epitaxial layer 428 from the template wafer 430 byproviding very little of the template substrate 434 remainingimmediately beneath each of the individual islands of the crystallinemagnetic epitaxial layer 428. In one implementation, a separation forceis applied to the stamp 440 and the template substrate 434, which issufficient to break the anchor tab(s) connecting the individual islandsof the crystalline magnetic epitaxial layer 428 to the templatesubstrate 434. However, the separation force is insufficient to removethe individual islands of the crystalline magnetic epitaxial layer 428from the stamp 440.

FIG. 4D illustrates a side view of the flexible stamp 440 placing theindividual islands of the crystalline magnetic epitaxial layer 428 ofFIG. 4C onto a recording head wafer 424, as illustrated by arrow 444.The crystalline magnetic epitaxial layer 428 islands are then bonded orstamped to the recording head wafer 424. For example, the recording headwafer 424 may include an adhesive layer 452 that bonds the crystallinemagnetic epitaxial layer 428 islands to the recording head wafer 424 oncontact, with the application of pressure, and/or with the applicationof an elevated temperature. In other implementations, the crystallinemagnetic epitaxial layer 428 islands are directly bonded to therecording head wafer 424 without the adhesive layer 452. This processmay occur at temperatures within that which the reader will tolerate(e.g., less than 220 degrees Celsius).

FIG. 4E illustrates a side view of the individual islands of thecrystalline magnetic epitaxial layer 428 bonded to the amorphousrecording head wafer 424 of FIG. 4D with the flexible stamp 440 removed,as illustrated by arrow 446. The flexible stamp 440 is released from thecrystalline magnetic epitaxial layer 428, which leaves the individualislands for the crystalline magnetic epitaxial layer 428 attached to therecording head wafer 424 via the adhesive layer 452. In oneimplementation, a separation force is applied to the stamp 440 and therecording head wafer 424, which is sufficient to break the bondsconnecting the individual islands of the crystalline magnetic epitaxiallayer 428 to the stamp 440. However, the separation force isinsufficient to remove the individual islands of the crystallinemagnetic epitaxial layer 428 from the recording head wafer 424.

The technique illustrated by FIGS. 4A-4E may be referred to herein as ahybrid pick-and-place bonding technique. Further, the recording headwafer 424 may have a significantly different area than the templatewafer 430 (e.g., the template wafer may be a 4 inch circular wafer,while the recording head wafer 424 may be an 8 inch circular wafer).Since the flexible stamp 440 may be used to place the islands of thecrystalline magnetic epitaxial layer 428 on the recording head wafer 424multiple times at different places on the surface of the recording headwafer 424, the technique illustrated by FIGS. 4A-4E may be used with avariety of template and recording head wafer sizes.

FIG. 5 illustrates a method 500 for manufacturing a crystalline thinfilm structure bonded to an amorphous substrate according to a hybridpick-and-place bonding technique, as depicted in FIGS. 4A-4E. Aproviding operation 505 provides a template wafer including acrystalline magnetic epitaxial layer and a template crystallinesubstrate. The template crystalline substrate provides a structure fordepositing and transporting the crystalline magnetic epitaxial layer. Apatterning operation 510 patterns the crystalline magnetic epitaxiallayer into individual islands of crystalline magnetic material. In oneimplementation, the patterning operation 510 forms a continuous ornon-continuous grid of trenches or streets separating the individualislands of crystalline magnetic material. In one implementation, thepatterning operation 510 is accomplished using photolithography.

An etching operation 515 etches cavities in the template crystallinesubstrate immediately underneath the individual islands of crystallinemagnetic material. An etching solution applied through the grid oftrenches or streets etches the template crystalline substrate underneaththe individual islands of crystalline magnetic material withoutsubstantially affecting the crystalline magnetic epitaxial layer itself.In one implementation, the cavities in the template crystallinesubstrate are selectively etched without substantially etching the otherlayers or surrounding areas of the template crystalline substrate usingan aqueous hydrofluoric acid solution (e.g., at about 10% concentration)selectively applied to the template crystalline substrate.

Further, some of the template crystalline substrate immediatelyunderneath each of the islands may remain to keep the islands in placeon the template crystalline substrate. This remaining material may bereferred to as an anchor tab(s). An attaching operation 520 removeablyattaches a flexible stamp to the individual islands of crystallinemagnetic material. The flexible stamp may include a light adhesive orutilize another light bonding technique to removeably attach to theindividual islands of crystalline magnetic material.

An extracting operation 525 extracts the individual islands ofcrystalline magnetic material from the template crystalline substrate.Extracting operation 525 may be accomplished by applying a separationforce to the stamp and the template crystalline substrate, which issufficient to break the anchor tab(s) connecting the individual islandsof the crystalline magnetic epitaxial layer to the template crystallinesubstrate. However, the separation force is insufficient to remove theindividual islands of the crystalline magnetic material from the stamp.

A bonding operation 530 bonds the extracted individual islands ofcrystalline magnetic material to an amorphous substrate (e.g., arecording head wafer). The bonding operation 530 may be accomplished byplacing an adhesive layer between the individual islands of crystallinemagnetic material and the amorphous substrate. Applying pressure and/oran elevated temperature may assist the bonding operation 530.

A releasing operation 535 releases the flexible stamp from the islandsof crystalline magnetic material bonded to the amorphous substrate. Thereleasing operation 535 may be accomplished by applying separation forceto the stamp and the amorphous substrate, which is sufficient to breakthe bonds connecting the individual islands of the crystalline magneticmaterial to the stamp. However, the separation force is insufficient toremove the individual islands of the crystalline magnetic material fromthe amorphous substrate.

A problem with depositing a crystalline layer with a first latticeconstant on a crystalline, polycrystalline, or amorphous substrate witha second different lattice constant is that defects occur at theinterface of the crystalline layer and the substrate and propagatethrough the crystalline layer as it is deposited on the substrate. FIGS.6A-7 illustrate and describe trapping such defects in trenches such thatthe crystalline layer becomes defect free as it is deposited and itsthickness exceeds the depth of the trenches.

FIG. 6A illustrates a side view of a crystalline template layer 628bonded to an amorphous recording head wafer 624, the crystallinetemplate layer 628 having trenches (e.g., trench 652) patterned therein.The crystalline template layer 628 having trenches patterned therein maybe referred to herein as a first part of the crystalline template. Thecrystalline template layer 628 may be bonded to the recording head wafer624 using a variety of techniques including that depicted in FIGS. 2A,2B and 2C and described with regard to operations 305-320 of FIG. 3. Thetrenches are patterned or etched into the crystalline template layer 628in order to trap crystalline defects when crystalline template material(see crystalline template material 654 of FIG. 6B) is directly depositedon the recording head wafer 624. In one implementation, etching solutionis selectively applied to the crystalline template layer 628 to form thetrenches.

FIG. 6B illustrates a side view of the amorphous recording head wafer624 of FIG. 6A with the trenches in the crystalline template layer 628filled with a deposited crystalline template material 654. Thecrystalline template material 654, which may be referred to herein asthe second epitaxial part of the crystalline template, grows naturallyat an angle within each of the trenches.

The aspect ratio for the height to width of the trenches is typicallygreater than 1 and the minimum aspect ratio will depend on the angle atwhich the crystalline template material 654 grows within the trenches,which in turn depends on the growth rate and type of crystalline defectsin the crystalline template material 654. Generally, the ability of theaspect ratio trapping process to reduce defects is improved withincreased aspect ratios (e.g., an aspect ratio of 1.3).

As a result, the lattice mismatch between the amorphous recording headwafer 624 and the crystalline template material 654 deposited within thetrenches is trapped within the trenches by the side walls of thetrenches. By the time the deposited crystalline template material 654reaches the top of the trenches, any crystalline defects that originatedat the interface between the deposited crystalline template material 654and the recording head wafer 624 are no longer present in the depositedcrystalline template material 654.

FIG. 6C illustrates a side view of the amorphous recording head wafer624 of FIG. 6B with a deposited template layer 654 covering thecrystalline template layer 628. The template layer 654 may be referredto herein as a third epitaxial part of the crystalline template. Thetemplate layer 654 is deposited until the crystalline template layer 628is completely covered and a minimum thickness of the deposited templatelayer 654 exists for depositing an epitaxial magnetic write pole (seewrite pole 618 of FIG. 6D).

FIG. 6D illustrates a side view of the recording head wafer 624 of FIG.6C with an epitaxial magnetic write pole 618 deposited thereon. Sincethe deposited template layer 654 surface is free from significantcrystalline defects, the epitaxial magnetic write pole 618 may bedeposited directly on the deposited template layer 654. The techniqueillustrated by FIGS. 6A-6D may be referred to herein as an aspect ratiotrapping lithography technique.

FIG. 7 illustrates a method 700 for manufacturing a crystalline thinfilm structure bonded to an amorphous substrate according to an aspectratio trapping lithography technique, as depicted in FIGS. 6A-6D. Aproviding operation 705 provides a crystalline template layer bonded toan amorphous substrate (e.g., a recording head wafer). The providingoperation 705 may be accomplishing using a variety of techniquesincluding, for example, by performing operations 305-320 of FIG. 3. Apatterning operation 710 patterns trenches into the crystalline templatelayer. The trenches may be arranged in a grid pattern or merely a seriesof parallel spaced-apart trenches. The trenches may be formed byselectively etching or patterning the surface of the crystallinetemplate layer using an etching agent.

A first deposition operation 715 deposits crystalline template materialwithin the trenches and entirely covering the crystalline templatelayer. The crystalline template material grows naturally at an anglewithin each of the trenches. As a result, lattice mismatch between therecording head wafer and the crystalline template material depositedwithin the trenches is trapped within the trenches by the side walls ofthe trenches. By the time the deposited crystalline template materialcovers the top of the trenches, any crystalline defects that originatedat the interface between the deposited crystalline template material andthe recording head wafer are no longer present. A second depositionoperation 720 deposits a magnetic epitaxial crystalline layer over thecrystalline template material. Since the deposited template layersurface is free from significant crystalline defects, the magneticepitaxial crystalline layer may be deposited directly on the crystallinetemplate material.

The logical operations making up the embodiments of the inventiondescribed herein are referred to variously as operations, steps,objects, or modules. Furthermore, it should be understood that logicaloperations may be performed in any order, adding or omitting operationsas desired, unless explicitly claimed otherwise or a specific order isinherently necessitated by the claim language.

The above specification, examples, and data provide a completedescription of the structure and use of exemplary embodiments of theinvention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention, the inventionresides in the claims hereinafter appended. Furthermore, structuralfeatures of the different embodiments may be combined in yet anotherembodiment without departing from the recited claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of manufacturing an article, the methodcomprising: attaching one or more epitaxial crystalline layers to anamorphous substrate, bonding a nonmagnetic crystalline template layer tothe amorphous substrate; and depositing a magnetic epitaxial crystallinelayer on the nonmagnetic crystalline template layer, wherein themagnetic moment of the article is greater than 2.4 Tesla.
 2. The methodof claim 1, wherein the bonding includes bonding a first part of thenonmagnetic crystalline template layer having a thickness of less than300 nm to the amorphous substrate.
 3. The method of claim 2, furthercomprising: separating the first part of the nonmagnetic crystallinetemplate layer from a second part of the nonmagnetic crystallinetemplate layer having a thickness of greater than 100 micrometers priorto the depositing step.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the separatingcomprises dissolving a release layer between the first part and thesecond part of the nonmagnetic crystalline template layer.
 5. The methodof claim 1, further comprising: patterning trenches in the nonmagneticcrystalline template layer bonded to the amorphous substrate; anddepositing additional nonmagnetic crystalline template material withinthe patterned trenches and over the nonmagnetic crystalline template,prior to depositing the magnetic epitaxial crystalline layer on thenonmagnetic crystalline template layer.
 6. The method of claim 5,wherein depositing additional nonmagnetic crystalline template materialcomprises depositing the additional nonmagnetic crystalline templatematerial with an angled growth mode that traps defects caused bydepositing the additional nonmagnetic crystalline template materialdirectly on the amorphous substrate within the patterned trenches. 7.The method of claim 1, further comprising: depositing a magneticepitaxial crystalline layer on a nonmagnetic crystalline template layer;and extracting the magnetic epitaxial crystalline layer from thenonmagnetic crystalline template layer, prior to the attachingoperation.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the extracting andattaching operations are accomplished using a flexible stamp removablyattached to the magnetic epitaxial crystalline layer.
 9. The method ofclaim 7, further comprising: patterning the deposited magnetic epitaxialcrystalline layer into individual islands of magnetic material; andetching away nonmagnetic crystalline template material underneath theindividual islands of magnetic material, prior to the extractingoperation.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the attaching operationincludes bonding the individual islands of magnetic material to theamorphous substrate.
 11. A method of manufacturing an article, themethod comprising: attaching a nonmagnetic crystalline template layercomprising gallium arsenide directly to the amorphous substrate; anddepositing a magnetic epitaxial crystalline layer on the nonmagneticcrystalline template layer, wherein the magnetic moment of the articleis greater than 2.4 Tesla.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein attachingthe nonmagnetic crystalline template layer comprises attaching anonmagnetic crystalline template layer comprising: a first part bondedto the amorphous substrate with trenches patterned therein; a secondepitaxial part deposited within the patterned trenches of the firstpart; and a third epitaxial part deposited over the first part and thesecond epitaxial part, wherein defects within the second epitaxial partdo not propagate to the third epitaxial part.
 13. The method of claim12, wherein the second epitaxial part is deposited within the patternedtrenches of the first part with an angled growth mode that traps defectscaused by depositing the second epitaxial part directly on the amorphoussubstrate within the patterned trenches.
 14. The method of claim 12,wherein the magnetic epitaxial crystalline layer is deposited on thethird epitaxial part of the nonmagnetic crystalline template layer. 15.A method of manufacturing an article, the method comprising: providing atemplate wafer comprising a crystalline magnetic epitaxial layer and atemplate crystalline substrate; patterning the crystalline magneticepitaxial layer into individual islands of crystalline magneticmaterial; removing the individual islands of crystalline magneticmaterial from the template crystalline substrate; and bonding theremoved individual islands of crystalline magnetic material to anamorphous substrate.
 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:after patterning and before removing the individual islands ofcrystalline magnetic material, etching cavities in the templatecrystalline substrate immediately proximate to the individual islands ofmagnetic material.
 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: afteretching cavities in the template crystalline substrate, removablyattaching a flexible stamp to the individual islands of crystallinemagnetic material; and releasing the flexible stamp from the individualislands of crystalline magnetic material after bonding the removedindividual islands of crystalline magnetic material to an amorphoussubstrate.
 18. The method of claim 15, wherein a magnetic moment of thearticle of manufacture is greater than 2.4 Tesla.